• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Paul May for "Checkerboard (ver 3.0)" being selected as Turning of the Week for March 25, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Paste pre-finish for open grain turnings

Joined
Nov 11, 2019
Messages
3
Likes
0
Location
Tallmadge, OH
I would like any suggestions on a paste finish to rub on a bowl that has a lot of open grain to fill in with before I apply my Minwax rub on matte finish. I apply 5-6 coats of the rub on finish and it still does not fill everything in. The surface feels rough. My thoughts was to fill with the paste, let dry, then apply my rub on finish. Any suggestions?

Chuck Marsh
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,321
Likes
3,576
Location
Cookeville, TN
They sell paste wood fillers designed just for that purpose. What I do when I need that is to sand with the finish. This creates a slurry that helps fill the pores. Usually won't fill them completely but requires a lot less finish. I have used regular shoe polish to fill pores but when I do that I'm usually looking to fill the pores with a contrasting color. I seal the wood with shellac after I use the wax. I have also use a thick epoxy and spread it on with my gloved fingers to fill in pores. It does require a lot more sanding and is not the best method but it does work.
 
Joined
Feb 26, 2019
Messages
1,813
Likes
1,415
Location
Lebanon, Missouri
I do the sand/slurry method John stated. I usually use mw semigloss thinned 1:1, 220 grit paper. If the pores/defects are very big, I let it get “pasty” then use a squeegee to press it in and leave the mess on there. I clean up the mess with round 2 or 3 if needed. What mw “rub on” finish are you using? Could be you could sand with it.
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
Likes
360
Location
Highland, MI
I used clear AquaCoat on a roasted ash guitar body that turned out great. I believe it can also be tinted if desired. Sounds like it's very similar to Crystalac grain filler.
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
Likes
360
Location
Highland, MI
You've probably heard of torrefied wood, where previously kiln dried wood is baked in a low oxygen environment at temperatures that would normally cause the wood to combust, but the low oxygen level prevents that. It causes changes in the wood that stabilizes it, makes it stiffer (or more brittle if done wrong) and changes the color of the wood. Here's a good article about it: https://robcosman.com/pages/newsletter-article-torrefied-wood.
"Roasted" is just a common name for "Torrefied". It's particularly desirable for musical instruments because, by making it stiffer, the resonance if the wood is enhanced, and by making it more stable and less likely to be affected by humidity, it's great for guitar necks.
A minor change, but one that I like, is the smell of the wood while being worked includes a "cooked" aroma, that I find pleasing.
Here's a few pics of the bass I put together:
WarmothPjustbodyfront-1.jpg WarmothPbodyfront.jpg WarmothPbodyback.jpg

The body is finished with several coats of Arm-R-Seal over AguaCoat grain filler. The roasted maple neck is also finsihed with Arm-R-Seal.
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
Likes
360
Location
Highland, MI
Same thing happened to me. I quit playing this year, just finished selling everything but that bass and I'm putting the money into turning tools and lathe upgrades. I enjoy woodturning more than playing bass, so I'm OK with giving it up.
If I build any more instruments, it'll be to donate them to charity.
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
322
Likes
145
Location
Larimore, ND
I still have 2 Fenders and 2 amps, just can't bring myself to sell them. I have been hoping this finger/hand problem would ease up some but I think it's a loosing battle. I know have a bad case of left hand - thumb trigger finger. Some days just moving that thumb brings searing pain through my whole hand. Sure hope it does not mess with my wood turning.... that would be a huge bummer. If nothing else, I'm going to gift the strat to my grand daughter in a couple years, she seems to have some musical interest, for now.
 
Joined
Dec 19, 2018
Messages
136
Likes
82
Location
Urbandale, Iowa
Ric & John, l feel your pain. Shoulder problems led me to sell a couple Black Widows(bows) to finance a new lathe. I just have my Super Kodiak that l have had for 50 years that l can't part with.
 

john lucas

AAW Forum Expert
Joined
Apr 26, 2004
Messages
8,321
Likes
3,576
Location
Cookeville, TN
Been fighting shoulder problems for a couple of years now. I once had a blackwidow target bow. Man did I love that thing. I just got to where I didn't use it anymore. Still have a 45lb stick bow that I can't part with but haven't shot it in years. For your shoulder pain watch some of the videos by these guys. really helped mine.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Uju77EMihg
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
5,435
Likes
2,792
Location
Eugene, OR
Hmm, more stuff to ponder. I haven't heard of this process of, maybe I would call it tempering the wood. I always thought that air dried woods were the preferred ones for musical instruments, but maybe that is for acoustic rather than solid body electric. I am a closet electric guitar player, only play for myself. When making furniture, the best wood, or maybe my favorite is air dried, followed very closely by solar and vacuum kiln dried woods. If I rip them on the table saw I get shavings. If I rip an 8/4 board to book match, I get no spring, twist, or cupping. With the 'kill' dried woods, I never know what is going to happen. I did know that the wood used in an electric guitar can make a huge difference in tone and sustain. One of Jeff Beck's favorite guitars had the body made from bass wood.

I do have one guitar playing friend who had an accident with the table saw. He now plays the dobro because he can't use the fret board. I have figured that finger exercises keep my fingers limber. Kind of like swimming keeping my shoulders loose. After years of residential concrete construction, I am lucky to have minimal arthritis... I did end up getting both hips and a knee replaced.... Once uncle Arther stops in for a visit, he never goes away...

robo hippy
 
Joined
Jan 20, 2020
Messages
322
Likes
145
Location
Larimore, ND
Ric & John, l feel your pain. Shoulder problems led me to sell a couple Black Widows(bows) to finance a new lathe. I just have my Super Kodiak that l have had for 50 years that l can't part with.

This thread sure is taking a couple side-trips... LOL I also had to sell my bow, well, rather I gave it to a young man that helps around the yard during the summers. I could no longer draw/hold it well so off it went. I now use a crossbow to hunt. While it is heavy, I can easily rest it on the window of our hunting shack. Up to 80 yards, this thing is just as accurate as any rifle I have.
 
Joined
Nov 30, 2020
Messages
50
Likes
267
Location
Clermont, Georgia
Today I mixed Bondo autobody filler with sawdust to fill some cracks in an oak piece I roughed a couple years ago. Might be a bit thick for what you're after but thinning the mix with fiberglass resin and finer sawdust might do it. The stuff sanded out nice and smooth and should take color and a lacquer finish...we'll see... bondo out of the can is gold, blue or pink but i'll bet you could add color to the mix. I spot tested some of it with createx airbrush paint after sanding and I'm okay with it.

btw...Cat Stevens, If I ever lose my hands.....:(
 
Joined
May 31, 2019
Messages
290
Likes
360
Location
Highland, MI
Hmm, more stuff to ponder. I haven't heard of this process of, maybe I would call it tempering the wood. I always thought that air dried woods were the preferred ones for musical instruments, but maybe that is for acoustic rather than solid body electric...

robo hippy

Actually. some big name acoustic guitar companies (Taylor comes to mind) and custom builders are working with torrefied woods, especially spruce tops. The thinking is that because Torrefaction caramelizes the resins and sugars in the wood, it mimics what would happen with the wood after many years, making new guitars sound more like old ones, and everyone knows older is better. At least that's what I keep telling my wife. I don't know if she buys it or not. She just gives me that look.

Sounds like some of us are on parallel paths. I still have the Hoyt Pro Medalist target recurve I shot in competitions in the early '80's. I doubt I could even string it these days, let alone draw & hold it.

Now, getting back to the original topic of this thread, I originally started to finish that guitar body with Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil using the wet sanding slurry technique to fill the grain. At least that was the plan. Things quickly got out of hand and didn't look too good, so I sanded it back and used the AquaCoat to fill the grain, with much better results. I don't doubt that the wet sanding slurry method works, but I think it takes some experience with it to get ideal results.
 
Back
Top